is this PPD? or something else?

[♥ms.pacman♥]

over the past couple weeks i have started feeling extremely sad and overwhelmed most of the time. i have a general feeling of being stuck in a hopeless situation that is never going to get better. i have started having major sleep problems and feeling anxious about things that didn't bother me as much before. i've spent half the day thinking about about how i made all the wrong choices in life (moving away and putting career on hold, having 2 kids so close together, etc ). but i swear, i used to really enjoy being a SAHM and having 2 LOs so close in age but now i'm starting to really hate it and i feel like i can't enjoy being with my kids at all, which just makes me so incredibly sad.

anyway, at first i attributed this to just being stressed and getting adjusted to life with 2 kids, but i'm starting to think it's more than that. taking care of 2 little ones is stressful, but really to be perfectly honest i don't think it's THAT difficult, at least in my case...my kids are both healthy and relatively easy babies. my DD is sleeping decently at night and instead of feeling more rested i am starting to feeling worse. i do have a decent amount of help (i have a sitter come 2 mornings a week, cleaning service comes in 2x a month, cooking service 2x a month) and even with that i still feel extremely overwhelmed and unable to deal with life in general. realizing this makes me feel even worse, because i feel so uncapable.

i just feel so bad because it's starting to affect my DH as well. i know i've been complaining more and more about things and we have been fighting a lot more lately. a few days ago he literally started tearing up and saying how heartbroken he is to see me so sad like this and i know it's really stressing him out feeling like he can't do anything to help me. anyway i feel so bad but not sure what else i can do. i can't seem to get out of this funk and this feeling of sadness, hopelessness and isolation. don't know if its PPD, since it's been 3.5 months already since DD was born and this is probably the worst i've felt since then (this is probably the worst i've felt in years). after having DS i don't remember feeling this bad, at least for this long.

anyway, any suggestions would be helpful. depression and anxiety run in my family so i just want to nip this in the bud before it gets worse. if it could be PPD, not sure who to talk to about this, my OB or general care doctor. i wouldn't be opposed to taking meds but i would be somewhat concerned since i really want to continue nursing my DD.

[BeachBum]

I wrote a very similar post a few months ago.


I was definitely suffering from anxiety and depression. I saw my GP, started celexia and my whole life has changed for the better. I feel like "me" again. I feel like my default emotion is now back to my content self instead of feeling unhappy and hopeless all the time.
I just wish I would have done it sooner.

[MSWR0319]

I think it very well could be PPD. These are the exact symptoms my midwife told me to watch for. She said PPD could come up to 12 mo after delivery. I would think either dr could help you. Hang in there and hopefully you'll start feeling better.

[lizzywednesday]

I went through this a bit just before I went back to work, not the severe anxiety but the feeling overwhelmed (and I was!) and upset that most of my "bonding time" with my kid had been spent in the hospital or running around to doc visits, etc., and nobody gave me any help (of course I didn't ask!)

I "passed" the PPD screen on paper, but the OB who saw me for my 6-wk check thought I might be experiencing it anyway, based on talking with me. I was very weepy and scattered, but I tried to explain that the overwhelmed feeling was coupled with just feeling a little betrayed and a lot angry that my maternity leave didn't work the way I thought it would and I felt gypped out of the time I thought I was going to spend with my DD.

FWIW, PPD's a big deal here in NJ, as the last governor's wife (MaryJo Codey) was very public about her struggle with it herself, creating some very interesting sound bites that my DH thought were huge jokes but terrified me. (In light of some recent events in CA, I'm not even going to post the quote he found to be funniest.)

Anyway, definitely contact your doc. Both OBs and GPs should be able to either repeat your PPD screen or give you a referral to a psychiatrist.

[MommytoEliana]

I went through some of the same emotions several months after DS was born; looking back I'm sure I had PPD and should have gotten some help. I would definitely talk to your doctor--probably your OB as he/she may have some ideas that would enable you to keep breastfeeding since that is important to you. Hugs and P/PT coming your way!

[egoldber]

I think it does sound like PPD. The flag to me is that you are getting more sleep and the babies are getting easier, but you are feeling worse, not better. I would talk to your OB.

[twowhat?]

No advice other than yes, definitely see your OB. Sounds like it could be, esp with the sleep problems. It also doesn't help that you feel isolated and removed from what you were comfortable with and it's hard to get out with 2 little kids. If you can get help to get over the hump, do it.

[goldenpig]

I think it does sound like PPD. The flag to me is that you are getting more sleep and the babies are getting easier, but you are feeling worse, not better. I would talk to your OB.

I would definitely get help from your OB or GP. I'm sure they can find a medication that can work for nursing moms. Hope you start to feel better soon!

[Indianamom2]

I think it sounds very much like PPD. It is definitely still within the norm, being only 3.5 month post-partum.

The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to seek help. It's nothing to be embarassed about and you would be amazed at how many other moms have gone through the same thing. They just don't always talk about it.

Good luck.

[ThreeofUs]

You've gotten great advice - just wanted to send a